Iowa State students displayed over 500 drawings and multi-dimensional art projects at the Spring Core Exhibition Thursday.
The pieces were displayed throughout the College of Design building in order to showcase the progress first-year design students had made throughout the spring semester, according to Anna Segner, an assistant teaching professor for art and visual culture.
“First-year college students are just getting into the swing of things and this is really a celebration of it,” Segner said. “I think the students really see the work on the wall and are really proud of that.”
Aubrey Ayala, a sophomore in interior design, showcased an architectural sketch of buildings on campus, such as Parks Library, Reiman Gardens and the campanile clock tower.
“Our inspiration was the clean art of da Vinci’s notebook, where it’s kind of like sketchy notes,” Ayala said.
Johanna Di Gioia, a junior in industrial design, displayed a 3D drawing of the large chessboard at Parks Library, along with the arches next to Roberts Residence Hall.
Di Gioia said her group of four combined their previous class sketches into one large drawing to make the sketch feel like it is “looking into another world.”
Ayala said she prepared for the Spring Core Exhibition the entire semester and found the process stressful at first.
“I thought it was kind of daunting at the beginning,” Alaya said. “I think once we really got the plan set out and started working on it, it went way faster.”
Nathan Edwards, an associate teaching professor of arts and visual culture and coordinator for the exhibition, described watching students gain confidence as one of the most rewarding elements of being an educator.
“The fall semester, they’re definitely a little quiet,” Edwards said. “In the spring semester, there’s usually more ownership of their experience, and usually, if you take a drawing class in the fall semester, then you take a 2D and 3D design class and the skills can be applied in both studios.”
Rob Whitehead, the associate dean of the design department, directed the Spring Core Exhibition.
“This is such a great event because some people think they can’t be designers and they come here, and some have never taken an art class,” Whitehead said. “Then, they look around and bring their friends, they bring their family, they see their teachers and can say ‘I did that.’”
Whitehead said his best advice for incoming students is to participate in class and embrace creativity.
“We have great teachers and 34 different sections of classes where they do two-dimensional and three-dimensional art,” Whitehead said. “The teachers all love beginning design skills, so if you embrace that and if you show up, the work will follow.”
Assistant Teaching Professor Megen O’Toole said her best advice for incoming students is to worry less about work and more about exploration.
“The tools and skill sets are just one part, but getting to the point where you can just let yourself go and really explore what these tools can do,” O’Toole said. “Remember, you have a personal voice. My students are constantly surprised when I give them a task and all of their work turns out differently.”
